Principal Surveyor

Northumbrian Water; Pity Me; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading water utility company in the UK is seeking a Principal Surveyor to handle land acquisition, negotiations, and statutory land rights for projects. The ideal candidate will be a Chartered Member of RICS with strong negotiation skills and experience in property transactions. Join a team dedicated to making a positive impact in the community and benefiting from an array of generous employee benefits.

Benefits

Generous holiday entitlement

Company pension scheme

Free access to local attractions

Discount scheme

Award-winning well-being support

Support with sustainable travel

Financial well-being support

Development opportunities

Qualifications

• Chartered Member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) required.
• Expert knowledge of land acquisition processes essential.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills are necessary.

Responsibilities

• Responsible for land acquisition and compensation negotiations.
• Advise on land valuations and compensation claims.
• Work closely with internal stakeholders and external landowners.

Skills

Experience in land acquisition

Negotiation skills

Knowledge of property transactions

Stakeholder engagement

Compensation valuation

Education

Chartered Member of RICS

Tools

GIS mapping

Job description

About the role

We have an exciting opportunity for a Principal Surveyor to join Northumbrian Water Group’s Estates team. You will be responsible for land acquisition, access negotiations, compensation settlements, statutory land rights, Schedules of Condition and serving of Statutory Notices to support NWG’s capital delivery programme and operational estate requirements.

You will assist in managing non‑operational estate and leasehold property, including residential, agricultural and commercial assets, ensuring effective asset utilisation and income security. You will advise on land valuations, compensation claims and rent reviews.

You will work closely with internal stakeholders, landowners, tenants, and property agents to secure necessary land rights, negotiate fair compensation, and ensure statutory compliance, all while identifying and implementing strategies to maximise property income and increase revenue security.

As a chartered member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), this role provides professional in‑house expertise for our capital delivery and operational teams, resolving land access issues, securing wayleaves and dealing with land‑related constraints. You will also oversee title investigations, utilities identification, and resolution of third‑party land interests.

About you

If you are a Chartered Member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), with experience in land acquisition, access negotiations, compensation settlements, and property transactions then we want to hear from you.

You will have expert knowledge of Statutory Notices, land referencing, wayleaves, easements, and compulsory purchase processes and a background in agricultural land use, landowner and tenant negotiations, compensation claims, and lease agreements.

You will have experience in supporting capital delivery programmes and securing the correct land access and rights for infrastructure projects with knowledge of land and property law, valuation principles, and statutory compliance.

You will have excellent negotiation, communication and stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to liaise effectively with landowners, agents, surveyors, and legal advisors.

You have good financial awareness, including compensation valuations and forecasting costs for budget setting. You can interpret land plans, title documents, and legal agreements and are competent in land referencing, GIS mapping, and digital estate management tools.

Here at Northumbrian Water / Essex & Suffolk Water, we embrace and value Diversity, Inclusion and Equity, and encourage all colleagues to bring their most authentic self to work.

Our colleague network groups include our Rainbow Support Network (LGBTQIA+), REACH (Race, Ethnicity, and Cultural Heritage), WiSTEM (Women in STEM) and Thisability (disability and neurodiversity) networks. They provide a safe space for colleagues from diverse backgrounds, welcoming all colleagues regardless of their personal characteristics to participate in valuable conversation that improves our organisational awareness, understanding and inclusivity.

We encourage and welcome all applications, as we strive to be an equal opportunity employer, committed to having diverse communities represented within all our teams, structures, and organisation.

Please note this role will require a DBS to be completed prior to employment.

NWG are an inclusive employer who support the rehabilitation of offenders, we will not, however consider candidates who have certain unspent convictions to ensure our commitment to fostering a safe and secure working environment for all OR colleagues, suppliers, customers and third parties.

About us

Here are NWG we strive to make Northumbrian Water Group (NWG) a Great Place to Work, for all. We embrace and value Diversity, Inclusion and Equity and encourage you to bring your full self to work. As an equal opportunity employer we’re committed to having a diverse community represented across our business.

We’re aware that not everyone will have every skill listed in the job description, however if you have some of the skills listed, we'd encourage you to apply.

NWG at a glance :

Our purpose at NWG is caring for the essential needs of our communities and environment, now and for generations to come. We do this by providing reliable and affordable water and wastewater services for our customers.

We make a positive difference by operating efficiently and investing prudently, to maintain a sustainable and resilient business. Our vision is to be the national leader in the provision of sustainable water and wastewater services. To support us in achieving our vision, we have five core values which are the guiding principles, defining who we are, what we do and how we do it.

Our benefits

We’re a Great Place to Work because of the amazing people who work for us, and to say thank you we offer a range of benefits to colleagues. Our ‘Tap Into’ benefits include :

• Generous holiday entitlement starting at 26 days, plus bank holidays and additional time off on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. There’s also the option to buy or sell holidays.
• Company pension scheme, where we’ll double match your contributions up to an employer contribution of 11%.
• Free access to local attractions.
• A fantastic discount scheme, with savings on days out, shopping, travel and more.
• Award winning ‘Living Well’ well‑being support, including access to a digital GP service for you and your family members.
• Support with sustainable travel – through salary sacrifice cars and a cycle to work scheme.
• Financial well‑being support – access our community savings scheme, financial education and low cost loans through Salary Finance. We also provide 4 x Life Assurance and an Income Protection Scheme.
• Support with your development – we offer a range of development opportunities, can support you through an interest free qualification loan and we’ll even pay for any relevant professional body subscription.

This is a safety or security critical role and as a condition of a formal offer of employment you’ll be required to undergo a drug and alcohol test after the job offer has been made. This will be prior to or within four weeks of their start date.

Prospective employees and agency workers who fail a pre‑employment urine drug screen will have their sample analysed by the Company appointed laboratory as a matter of course. Failing a pre‑employment drugs or alcohol test may lead to the job offer being revoked.